Trap nest



A. o. FORSTER ET AL TRAP NEST Filed June l5, 192,7 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

iiillllulz... l

IN VENTOR.

JMX? f A ATTORNEYS.

Feb, 17, 1931. A Q, FQRSTER E1-AL 1,792,734

TRAP NEST Filed June 15, 1927 3 sheets-sheet 2 Ell/ii.

IN VEN TOR. Www/ @farm/mw BY @7M @www OZW/ fg@ VTi/14a ATTORNEYS.

Feb- 17, l931 A. o. FORSTER E1' AL 1792,734

TRAP NEST Filed June l5, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 .JY/'ir'. .5

IlllllllllmlllllllllllIllllllllllllhm @M @farm TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 17, 1931 I Animar o. Fon-STER AND rnncrivi. ronsrnn., orBERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AssrGNoRs OF ONE-FGURT-I T0 THMAS BOTH. BERKELEY,GALIFORNIA ron-senr.,

maar Nasr Applieaupnrned June 15,

ments in trap nests of the general character shot-rn in our'latcnts No.1,467,149 and No. 1,751,141 issued September 4, 1923, and March 18,1930, respectively.

lt is the principal object of the present invention to generally improveand simplify the construction and operation of trap nests of thecharacter referred to whereby to provide a trap nest which will beautomatically operated `by 'the presence of a hen and the presence of anegg to segregate the laying and non-laying hens and direct themwintodifferent poultry yards so that an accurate account may be' kept uponthe productivityof the liens, and rendering it possible to cull out thenon-.productive hens. lIn carrying out this object into practice weprovide a nest structure positioned intermediate two poultry yards. Thisnest structure is provided with door controlled openings communicatingwith each yard and embodies automatically operating mechanism directingthe laying hens into one poultry yard from the other and retaining thenon-laying hens in the original poultry yard.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplilied in the followingdescription and illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a trap nest embodying thepreferred form of our invention with the side wall thereof removed todisclose the construction and arrangement of `the operating parts of themechanism. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal plan section through the nest.

Fig. 3 isa view in central vertical section through the nest structureshowing 'theoperating parts vin the position they assumewhen Y; 4the henis on the nest and has laid an egg.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in central vertical sectionthrough theentry end of the nest showing the mechanism which prevents the' entrydoor from closing when swung to an outward position. 1 y

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in transverse vertical section through thenestV structure Vshowing the means for limiting the down l'sired.

1927'. serieu No. 198,939.

ward movement of the nest structure and the mounting of the latchingbar. Y

Figs. 6 and 7 are views in elevation of the entry end of thenest housingwith the entry door in lowered position in Fig. 6, and in elevatedposition in Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 is aview in vertical transverse section through the structuretaken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the vlatch operating mechanism.

Referring more particularly tothe'accoming 19. This entry openingcommunicates h with the upper compartment 16 and is of suilicientdimensions to permit a hen to readily pass into the hou-sing above thenest structure 18. An entry platform 2O is disposed horizontally at thebottom of the entry openf ing 19 andis pivotally connected or hinged tothe housing at its inner end so that it may be swung up parallel to andin close proximity to the end 14 of the housing, when de- At oppositesides of the housing at the entry endlll?L we form guideways 21by theprovision of iXed vertical members 21a and 21b to receive a verticallyreciprocable entry door 22. The members 21a are held in place byclips21c'. This entry door 22 is normally disposed in a lowered orunobstructing position with its upper edge on the level with thehorizontally disposed entry platform 20.

The entry door 22 is adapted to be automati-4 cally operated by theweight of a hen disposed on the nest structure 18. To accomplish thisthe nest structure includes a pair of longitudinally disposed sideframes 23 which are pivotally connected` at PATIENT orricu `.ANDONE-FOURTH TO TONY L. KELLY,

their ends to the housing as at 24. This pivotal point 24: as shown inthe drawings is somewhat beyond the entry end 14 of the housing` and theconnection is accomplished by providing brackets securedl to the housingand projecting outwardly a suflicient distance to receive the pivotalconnections 24. The side frames 23 ot' the nest structure eX- tendlongitudii'ially and substantially horizontally within'thehousing at thesides thereof and at the exit end 1lb of the housing they are connectedtogether by a transverse nest frame 23a, which also supports a platform26 which is disposed on the same plane with the side frames 3 andprojects toward the exit endleb et the housing.

The nest structure disclosed inthe present application' is' moreparticularlyT described and claimedin' our Patent No. 1,751,141'.

For purposes' of more clearly understanding the present invention,however, it will be state'dthatthe nest structure is carried by the`iframe members`28and23a and issubstantially scoop shaped. That is-tosay, it has considerable more depth at the exit end 14h ot' the housingthan it has at the entry end 111n of the housing. t will suilice to saythat the nest structure is so designed as to be substantially sanitaryand permanent, it being formed with a removable section which may beexpeditiously removed and cleaned.

For the purposes ot producing a cooperativev action between the neststructure 18 and the entry door 22, we provide a pair of centrallypivoted arms 27 which are arranged one at each side of thehousing abovethe nest structure 18. These door actuating arms 27 are pivoted to thesides of the housing intermediate their ends and are pivotally connectedatene end to the top of the entry door at the opposite sides thereof. Attheir other ends they are connected by links 28 to the side'frames 23 ofthe nest structure 18. By means of this connecting structure between thenest 18 and the entry door 22, oscillating movement ol the neststructure 18 will. be translated into vertical reciprocation ot theentry door 22.

Thus, it will be seen that when the nest is disposed in the positionshown in Fig. 1 with theentry door 22 in a lowered or open position, theweight of a hen entering the nest will cause the nest 18- toswingdownwardly about its pivotal points 2-1. and through the linlks 28cause the arms 2l' to elevate the entry door 22 to a positionobstructing the entry opening 19;

At opposite sides of the entry door at the top thereof it isvlitted'with a pair et' guide shoes `29, one located within each gnideway21. These guide shoes or lugs 29`are relatively tixed to the top so thatthey may pivot in unison with respect to the arms 27. At the top of eachguideway 21 the `trent wall of the guideway is cut-away so that undercertain conditions when the entry door 22 is in its uppermost position,its lower end may swing outwardly about its point of pivotal connectionwith the arms 2T. Then swung outwardly, the guide shoes or lugs 29 aremoved out of register with the guideways 21 and engage the top end ofthe front guideway members 21rl and prevent lowering movement oi" theentry door 22 until the latter is returned to a vertical position withthe guide lugs 29 in register with the guideways 21. This is quiteimportant because it prevents the door from lowering when not in properposition. Should the door 22 commence to lower while the door is swungoutwardly, its lower end will' engage the platform 20' and render theentire structure inoperative. Likewise, it prevents the door fromlowering when a hen is leaving the nest through the entry door 22, whichsometimes occurs durin;I- the operation of the next'.

Tov permit the hen to open the door, it is formed with an arched slot oropening 30 so that a' hen may thrust her head through the opening andher weight against the door to swing the same outwardly and permither toexit from the nest. Were it not for the provision of the lugs 29 andtheir engagement with the liront guideway members 21 when the door 22 isswung outwardly, the moment the hen stepped from the nest structure tothe platform 2O the door 22 would commence to lower and entrap thehen-between it and' the platfor`m`20.

The particular lever arrangementy which connects the door to the nestsufficiently counterweight-s the nest so that thela-tter will normallyreturnI to its uppermost position as shown iny Fig. 1 with the door in alowered position unobstructing the entry opening.

From the foregoing it is obvious that a hen may step from the platform20intofthe nest structure 18 through theentry opening 19 and that herweight will be suilici'en't to lower the nest to the position shown inFig. 3. This lowering of the nest structure through the medium ot' thelinks 28 and the arms 27 will elevate the entry door 22 to a positionobstructing the entry opening 19. The hen will` not be disturbed whileinthe nest due to the provision of a stationary transverse locking bar31a disposed substantially on the plane with the lower edge of the entryopening 19 and in a position where it will be engaged by the lower endof the entry door 22 to prevent the latter from being swung inwardly bya hen on the platform 20.

As previously stated by means of the present trap nest struct-ure, itisintended to segregateA laying hens from non-laying hens. To assist inthis, the exit end 14h ot' the `housing is formed with an' exit opening32' which is controlled by an 4exit door 33. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2this door is pivotally' suspended from the top ofthehousing to swing inavertical plane. As shown in these figures, the doorismade ofa sheetmetal piece, the main body vof which is shaped to form a canopysubstantially the same in shape as a half Vcone divided along'its'vertical' axis. rlhis canopy thus fia-res out at the bottom and at thecenter thereof, andf'beginning at its bottom edge is an opening'34. Thisopening is of suflicient dimensions to permit a hen to thrust her headout tlirough'the opening and exert pressure .against the side' walls ofthe canopy so that'when the door is unlatched she may stand on Vtheplatform 26 and swing the exit door 33out`wardly; In this position thecurved portion of the canopy will fit over the hens back' and permitlier to step from the platform 26 'outwardly through the" exit openingand regain her freedom.

The exit door, however, is normally latched and is unlatchedVautomatically Awhen a hen lays an egg in the nest, so that she may gainher freedom through the exit door. ,'This latching mechanism in factalternately locks and unlocks the entry and ei-:it doors 22 and 33.This'mechanism includes what we prefer to term` an egg scale or trough35 carried by a longitudinally disposed latching lever 36.. The'eggscale or trough 35 is of a resilient constructionl so that it will notinjure an egg deposited therein. This latching lever 36 is pivotedintermediate its ends to one side of the housing'. lContiguous to oneend the egg scale or trough 35 projects outwardly` transverselytherefrom in a position contiguous to the end of thenest at the exit end14h of the housing.

At the extremity ofthe latching lever 36 at the entry/f' end le? of thehousing it is fitted with an upwardly extending keeper 37 which isndisposed in a position eXteriorly of the entry door'2-2 at th when thesame is in raised position. The weight of the latching lever 36 and theegg scale 35 is so distributed onr the lever 36 that the egg scale 35"will normallyY assume Aan elevated position while the end of t-he leverat the entry end of the housing will assume a loweredposition with itsVkeeper 37' 1n a position unobstructing` the opening of the entry door22. However, when the? hen 1n the nest lays an egg, the weight of theegg overcomes the balance of the lever, moving the keeper 37 upwardly toa position latching the entry door 22 closed. -This position is shown inFig. 3. Y y

1 At the other end of the latching lever 36 or that end disposed at theenit end of the housing'the leveris fitted with an upwardly extendingkeeper 38 which cooperates with a pivotal latch member 39 on. the exitdoor The relative positions ofthe ,keepers 37 and 38 is such that whenthe keeper 37 is in an unlatching position, the keeper 38' is in apositionlatching the exit door closed, but

`the scale.

e lower end thereofv when thekee'p'er 37 is in a-'position latching theentry door 22 closed,the keeper is in a position permittingf the exitdoor33 to be opened. Thus, when'an egg is l'aidby the hen in thenest'the egg scale35 lowers, raising the keeper 3?-, latching theentry'door 22 closed and moving the keeper 38 to av position unlatchingthe-exit door 33. vrl`hus,thc hen may makehereizit from the housingthrough theexit doory 33. Ifthe hen in the nest Vdoes not lay an egg,she may eizit from the housing through the door 22 as the latchingmechanism will not be operated and the door 22 -will be'the only meansof escape. 1

Inv the event thatthe'he'n lays an egg, the latch'mechanisnis held in apositionlatch` ing the entry door closed and unlatching the exit dooruntil the'weight of the henvis removed ffrom the-nest. This is accom-`plished by relatively positioning theopen end of the nest-and the eggscale so that the same will register when the nestis in low eredposition, so that the gently sloping bottom of thenest will slope towardthe scale. The egg willroll from the` nestV into the scale. `The egg isheld in the scale by a shield 40 depending from the' bottom of the ynestand obstructing the open `end of the scale when the nest is in loweredposi tiongas shown in Fig. A3. When the hen leaves' the nest, and thelatter is^ relieved vof the hens "weight, it automatically rises due tothe disposition of its weight relative' to its pivotal points 'and vtheshield 40de `re moved from an obstructing position relative to thescale. The egg maythen passffrom Immediately the vegg passesfrom thescale the latter will rise due to the disposition of theweight of thelatchinglever 36 relative to its pivotal point, Vplacing the latchingmechanism in operation unlatching the entry door .22 and latching theexit/door. rvrThe pivotal latching member on the exit door permits theVlatter to close after the keeper Y38 isv in latching position, but doesnot permit the exit door 33 to openfafter the enit door has'assumed aclosed'positionr V'Io prevent the hen from stepping* on; the

egg or obstructing yits travel from the nest to the scale, an uppershield 4l is provided which isarranged transverse ofthe nest just aboveitsdeeperend. yThe space between this upper shield and the 4bottom Vofthe nest is open a suticient amount to permit -theegg toV discharge fromthe nestint'o thescale..

` To receive the jeggs fromr the scale, we provide" a drawer 42 which,isv inserted through an opening in the entry endvofthe housing. Thisdrawerhasfa'gentlysloping 'false bottomff43` of reticulated material sothat the .egg discharging' from the scale will l,slowly roll along thefalsefbottom 43 of the drawer toward the entry` end lllt-o-ftlie lBOhousing. To guideY the drawer, a pair of guide members 44 are providedat opposite sides of thel housing between the entry end and the centerof the housing. These guide members 44 engage the upper edges of thesides of the drawer and lprevent the latter fromtilting when in openposition.

In some instances it is desired to trap a hen laying an egg within thenest so that the egg may be marked and identified with the hen layingit. Forthis purpose, we provide ay manually operated latch mechanism 45which may be actuated to latch the eXit door 33 closed. Thus, should thehen in the nestA lay an egg, the latch mechanismV operated by thelatch.V lever'36 will be placed in operation: but willbefineft'ective-relative to they exit door 33. That is to say, theentrydoor will be latchedv against opening by the keeper 37 actuated by theegg scale 35, and the exit door 33 will be latched against opening bymeans of the latchv mechanism 45. Thus, the egg may be marked toidentify it with the hen in. the nest and thereafter the latch 45 openedto permit the hen to regain her freedom.

In operation ofthe device, the nest is constructed substantially asshown inthe drawings and the entry platform 2O is swung to a horizontalposition as shown `in Fig. 1. The remainder ofthe mechanism will assumeits normal position as shown in Fig. 1 ready to receive a hen.

It should be stated here that the exit and entry doors communicate withdifferent poultry yards so that the hens laying eggs will pass from onepoultry yard to another, while the non-laying hens will return -to theoriginal poultry yard.

The hen entering the nest will step from the platform 2O into theyneststructure 18 andher weight will automatically cau-se the nest to lowerto the position shown in Fig. 3. The lowering movement of the nest willbe limited by engagement of the nest frame with a pair of lugs 50arranged at opposite sides of the housingas illustrated in Fig. 5. Thislowering movement of the nest struc` ture 18 will be transmitted to theentry door 22 and the latter will be swung to an elevated positionobstructing the entry opening 19. In this position, the entry door willbe free to swing outwardly due to its pivotal suspension so that in theevent thatY the hen does not lay an egg she may return to the poultryyard through the* entry opening 19 by swinging the entry door 22outwardly.

When the entry door 22 is swung outwardly and the hen steps to theplatform 20 relieving the nest of her weight, the entry door will beheld from lowering by engagement of the guide shoes or lugs V29 with thefront wall of the guideways 21.` Thus, the

nest structure cannot rise until the hen steps f fromthe platform. 20and the entry door 22 swings to a vertical position disengaging the lugs29 from the top front edges of the guideways 21. Immediately, however,the entry door assumes this position the nest structure will swingupwardly about its pivotal points 24 and the entry door 22 will lower toa position unobstructing the entry opening 19. Thus, the nest will beready to receive another hen.

In the event that the hen entering the nest lays an egg, the egg willroll gently from the nest into the egg scale causing the latter tolower. This lowering of the egg scale will be accompanied by operationof the latching mechanism which will latch the entry door 22 closed andunlatching the exit door 33. Thus, the hen may step from the nestthrough the eXit door and enter the poultry yard provided for the layinghens.

The moment that the nest structure 1S is relieved of the weight of thehen, it will rise tending to assume normal position and remove theshield from an obstructing position in front of the egg scale 35. Theegg will then deposit on the reticulated false floor 43 of the drawerand may be removed from the nest by opening the drawer.

When the scale is relieved of the weight of the egg, the latchingmechanism will return t0 normal position, automatically moving thekeeper 37 to an unlatching position and moving the keeper 38 to alatching position, latching the exit door 33 closed.

In the event thatit is desired to identify thev egg with the hen layingit, the latch mechanism 45 is rendered effective to latch the exit door33 closed. The egg in the egg scale will retain the latter in itslowered position latching the entry door 22 against opening. Thus, thehen will be trapped in the nest and can only be released by unlatchingthe latch mechanism 45.

From the foregoing it is obvious that we have provided a trap neststructure whereby laying and non-laying hens may be segregated by amechanism entirely automatic in operation. This mechanism ischaracterized by its simplicity and the unlikelihood of its becoming outof order.

lVhile we have shown the preferred form of our invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes may be made in its construction by thoseskilled in the art without de parting from the spirit of the invention,as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A trap nest comprising a housing having an entry opening and an exitopening, a

yertically movable door for the entry opening normally disposed inlowered position unobstructing the entry opening, a door for the .exitopening normally disposed in closed position, said entry door beingcapable oi .izo

swinging movement when in closed position to permit a hen 1n the housingto exit from the housing, latch means normally latching I said exitdoorclosed and ineffective with'respect to the lentry door, anoscillatory nestV structure, connecting means between the nestineilective with respect to the exit door when anfegg is depositedthereon. y

2. A trap nest comprising a'housing having an entry opening and an exitopening, a vertically movable door controlling the entry openingand-normally disposed'in a lowered orf open position, a door tor theexit opening normally disposed inclosed position, latch means normallyineliective with respect tothe entry door and effective with respect tothe exit door, an oscillatory nest structure within the housingintermediate thevdoo'rs, operative connecting means between the neststructure andthe entry door whereby the door will normally balance thenest and hold the nest in its uppermost position with the door in itslowerinost or open position, said nest being adapted to be'moved toitslower- Y most position with the door in its closed or raised positionwhen the weight of' a henrisV imposed on the nest, said door beingcapable of swinging movement when in its raised position whereby a. henin the nest may normally open the door and exit from thenest, an eggreceiving means adaptedl to receive eggs, from the nest, said eggreceiving means being operatively associated with the latching meanswhereby to prevent the entry door from swinging open when an egg isdeposited in said egg receiving means and simultaneously Vrender thelatching means ineffective with respect to theeXit door.V Y

3'. VA trap nest comprising a housing having an entry opening and anexit opening,

a vertically reciprocable door controlling the entry opening andnormally disposed in a lowered or open positiomaV door for the eXitopening normally disposed in closed position,

latch means normally inelective'with respect to the entry door andeffective with respect to the exit door, an oscillatory nest structurewithinfthehousing intermediate the doors, operative connecting meansbetween the nest structure and the entry door whereby the t door willnormally balance the nest and hold the nest in its Vuppermost positionvwith the door in its lowermost or open position, said nest beingadapted to be moved to its lowermost` position with the door `in itsclosed or raised position when the weight ofV a hen is imposed on thenest, said vdoor being capable of swinging Amovement when in its raisedposition whereby a hen in the nest may normally swing the door outwardlyand exit from the nest, means for preventing the entry door tremloweringwhen swung to a positicn other than its normal position, an eggreceiving means Vof a resilient character adapted to receive eggsfromthe nest, said egg receiving means being operatively associated with thelatching mea-ns whereby to prevent the entry door from swinging openwhen an egg is deposited in said egg receivmeaiis and simultaneouslyrender the latchingmeans ineffective with `respect to the exit door.

1l. A trap nest comprising a housing havin@ an'entry opening and an exitopening, a vertically reciprocable door controlling the entry openingand normally disposed inv a loweredcr open position, a door for the exitopening normallydisposed in closed position,`

latch means normally inelective with respect to the entry door andeEective with respect l to the exit door, an oscillatory nest structurewithin theV housing"r intermediateV the doors, operative connectingmeans between the nest structure and the entry door whereby the doorwill-normallybalance the nest and hold the nest in its uppermostpositionwith the door in its `lowermost or open position, saidV nest beingadaptedto be moved to itsv lowermost positionwith` the door inlitsclosedor raisedposition `when the weight of a hen is imposedon the nest,said` door being capable oi swingingYmovementwhen in its raisedposition, whereby a henin the nest may nor- -mally swing vthedoorVoutwardly and' exit :from swinging' open when kan egg isdepositedl 1nsaid egg receiving. means and simultaneously render the latch'ing meansinef- Y e'ctive with respect ,to the'eXit door, and a drawer mounted inthe housing beneath the nest and egg receivingineans and'rem'ovable fromvthe housing to yreceive the leggs from theegg're'ceiving means.` j Y p5. A trap nest comprising a housing having an entry opening kandan exitopening, a vertically reciprocable' door controlling the entry openingand' normallydisposedfin a lowered or openp'osition, a doorfor the exitY opening normally disposed in closedposition, latch `means normallyinei'ective `with respect to the entry door and effective with respectto the exit door, an, oscillatoryv nest.

structure within the housing intermediate the doors, operativeconnecting means between y, the nest structure and the entry doorwherevby the door will'normally'balancethe nest.v

andhold the nest in its uppermost position withthe door in its lowermostor open position, said nest being adapted to be moved to its lowermostposition with the door in its closed or raised position when the weightof a hen is imposed on the nest, said door being capable or" swingingmovement when in its raised position whereby a hen in the nest maynormally swing the door outwardly and exit from the nest, means "forpreventing the entry door from lowering lwhen swung to a position otherthan its normal position, an egg receivingmeans of a resilient characteradapted to receive eggs from the nest, said receiving means beingoperatively associated with the latching means whereby to prevent theentry door from swinging open when an egg is deposited in said eggreceiving v`means 'and simultaneously render the latchingmeansineiective with respect to the exit door,and a drawer in the housingbeneath the receiving means and removable from the.l housing, saiddrawer having a gently sloping Vfalse bottoni of reticulated materialupon which the eggs may deposit from said egg receiving means, saidfalse bottom slopingdfrmnsaid egg receiving means toward" the end of.'the housing wherein the entry opening is formed.

6. A trap nest comprising a housing having an entry opening' at one endthereof and an exit opening at the other end thereof, a verticallyreciprocable door for the entry opening normallydisposed in a loweredposition unobstructing said opening, an outwardly swinging door for saideXit opening, latch means normally ineiective relative to the entry doorand normally effective relative to the exit'door, an oscillatory neststructure in the housing, operative connecting means between the neststructure and the entry door whereby the entry door will be moved to itsclosed' position when' the weight kof a hen is imposed on the nest andwill return to open position when the nest is i relieved of the weightof the hen, and an egg receiving means onto which an egg may bedelivered from the nest and by which the latch means will be actuated torender the latch means effective relative tothe entry door andineffective relative to the exit door when an egg is deposited upon saidegg receiving means.

7. A trap nest comprising a housing having an entry opening at one endthereof and an exit opening at the otherend thereof, a

` vertically reciprocable door for the entry opening` normally disposedin a lowered position unobstructing said opening, an outwardly swingingdoor for said exit opening,

' latch means'normally ineffective with respect to the. entry door andeffective with respect nest in its uppermost position with the door inits lowermost or open position, said nest being adapted to be moved toits lowermost position with the door in its closed or raised positionwhen the weight of a hen is imposed on the nest, said door being capableof swinging movement when in its raised position whereby a hen in thenest may normally swing the door outwardly and eXit from the nest, meansfor preventing the entry'door from lowering when swung to a positionother than its normal position, an egg receiving means of' a resilientcharacter adapted to. receive eggs from the nest, said egg receivingmeans being operatively associated apair of lovers arranged uponopposite sides of the housing above the nest and pivoted atapointinterniediate their ends to the housing, pivotal connectionsconnecting said levers at one end to the top of said verticallyreciprocable door, links connecting the opposite ends of said leverswith the swinging end of said nest whereby downward swinging movement ofthe nest will act to raise the door, a 'vertically swinging door for theexit opening, a longitudinally disposed and centrally pivoted latchlever disposed beneath the nest, an receiving scale mounted adjacent oneend of said lever and adapted to register with the Jfree end of the nestwhen the nest is in its lowermost position, latch means at one end ofsaid lever normally latching said eXit door from opening, latch means atthe opposite end of said lever normally ineiiective with respect to theentry door, the weight of said latching lever being disposed relative toits pivotal point whereby the deposit of an egg on said scale` willswing the lever about its pivotal point and actuate the latching meanstounlatch the eXit'door and to latch the entry door against outwardswinging movement.

' 9. A trap nest comprising a housing having an entry opening at one endand an exit 'opening atvthe opposite end, a vertically reciprocableentry doorfor closing the entry opening, said doorbeing adapted to beswung outwardly" to open the entry opening when in raised position, avertical swinging eXit door` for L'closing the exitropening, a ver-vtical swinging nest arranged' substantially ee with the latchiiig meanswhereby to prevent up," or) ill horizontally 'within the housing betweenthe openings and pivoted to the housing at a point exteriorly of theentry opening, a pair of longitudinally disposed arms arranged one ateach side of the housing and pivoted toV the housing intermediate theirends, pivotal connections between one end of said arms and the top ofthe entry door, links connecting the other ends of the arms to the freeend of the nest whereby downward swinging movement of the free end ofthe nest will be accompanied by upward movement of the entry door, saidentry door being free toswing outwardly when it reaches its uppermostposition, means for preventing raising of the nest and lowering of theentry door when the door is swung outwardly, a longitudinally disposedlatch lever arranged within the housing beneath the nest and pivotedintermediate its ends to the housing, latch means at opposite ends ofsaid latch lever, the latch means at one end normally latching said exitdoor closed', the latch means at the other end normally ineffectiveagainst outward swinging movement of the entryV door when the same is ina raised position, egg receiving means carried by said latch lever andadapted to receive an egg from said nest, said latch lever beingbalanced about its pivotal point whereby the weight of an egg depositedin said egg receiving means will cause reversal of the latching means tounlatch the exit door and render the latch means effect-ive to preventoutward swinging movement of the entry door.

ALBERT O. FORSTER. PERCY M. FORSTER.

